Friday Brief: EU forces CRRC out of Lisbon metro deal
Plus: Velvet unveils first trainset ahead of 2028 launch / Nox Mobility raises EUR 2m for private sleepers
EU orders CRRC out of Lisbon metro contract
EU: The European Commission has ordered a Lisbon metro consortium to drop Chinese supplier CRRC after finding it received subsidies that distorted competition — the consortium has committed to replacing it with Polish manufacturer Pesa under the bloc’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR).
The ruling, issued 21 April, is the first concluded in-depth FSR procurement investigation. It establishes that the regulation can force the removal of a subcontractor mid-tender — a mechanism now available in any EU procurement where foreign subsidy concerns arise.
The Mota-Engil-led consortium may continue in the EUR 677.5m Violet Line tender. Contract award remains with Metropolitano de Lisboa, which must assess whether the revised bid meets technical requirements.
Velvet presents first high-speed trainset ahead of 2028 launch
FRANCE: France’s first independent high-speed challenger has presented its inaugural Avelia Horizon trainset at Alstom’s La Rochelle test facility, marking a concrete step toward open-access competition on the Paris Atlantic corridor from mid-2028.
The trainset — one of 12 ordered under a EUR 1bn funding package — will undergo static testing through end-2026, dynamic trials in 2027, and type approval before commercial launch. The Avelia Horizon platform is technically identical to SNCF’s TGV M, a deliberate choice to reduce certification risk.
Path applications for all three target routes have been submitted to SNCF Réseau. Slots have not yet been granted.
Berlin’s Nox Mobility raises EUR 2m for private sleepers
NIGHT TRAINS: Berlin-based Nox Mobility has secured EUR 2m in pre-seed funding to develop a night train concept built around fully private rooms, with first routes planned for 2027.
The round was led by IBB Ventures, with capital allocated to team expansion, a full-scale cabin mock-up, and route preparation. Nox will present a first refurbished coach at InnoTrans in Berlin in September 2026.
The company has identified up to 35 possible European routes but has not confirmed specific connections.
FS Logistix takes 30% stake in Italy’s second freight operator
ITALY: Italy’s dominant rail freight operator FS Logistix has signed a contract to acquire a 30% minority stake in Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI), pending regulatory approval.
The deal was signed 22 April between FS Logistix, infrastructure fund F2i, and F2i’s subsidiary FHP Group, which retains operational control of CFI. Combined, FS Logistix and CFI account for just under 50% of Italy’s contracted rail freight market by scheduled train volume.
No financial terms have been disclosed.
Spain’s Rubí tunnel reopens for freight on single track
SPAIN: Adif will reopen the Rubí tunnel near Barcelona for freight from 28 April on a single-track regime, seven weeks after structural damage forced a full closure.
The partial reopening covers timed daily windows, with full two-track restoration expected only after at least a further month of construction. The tunnel serves both Iberian broad gauge and European standard gauge freight on the Mediterranean Corridor TEN-T spine.
Passenger services on the R8 Rodalies line remain suspended.
ÖBB’s Stadler KISS Cityjet cleared for three countries
CROSS-BORDER: Stadler’s KISS double-deck EMUs — branded as Cityjet in ÖBB’s regional fleet — have received simultaneous type approval for Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia, clearing the way for cross-border services from June 2026.
The 21 April approval covers series 4734 and 4736, drawn from a 2022 framework contract for up to 186 units, with 109 sets ordered to date. Fleet integration begins in June, replacing older double-deck push-pull stock on eastern Austria services.
Rail punctuality reflects investment, not government
COMMENTARY: Every opposition transport spokesman in Europe has the same speech. The trains are late. The government has failed. Vote for us and we will fix it.
This piece ranks SBB, NS and SNCB as Europe’s three best-performing national operators — and DB, Trenitalia and SNCF as the worst among major networks — while documenting why the underlying figures cannot be directly compared across borders.
The core argument: punctuality performance reflects infrastructure financing decisions made two to three decades earlier, not the record of the government currently in office.
That’s The Rail Agenda for today. If someone in your network should be reading this, send it their way.